Orlando

I am sitting here feeling overwhelmed and helpless as I attempt to digest the attack on the LGBTQ community in Orlando. I found out on Sunday evening and almost immediately went to sleep. My body and mind felt flooded. I did a yoga nidra from my teacher, Richard Miller, and fell into a fitful sleep.

Monday was full of anger. My anger felt like a rushing of energy out of my body and forward into the world. It came out in Facebook posts and shares, text messages and obsessively reading more and more information.

Tuesday was exhaustion. It was hard to get out of bed. I took a nap in the middle of the day. Instead of working on this newsletter I watched a course with Brene Brown and Kristin Neff, two incredible healing forces in the world. In class we spent time holding space for students to share.

Of course this is a national tragedy, but as a straight, white woman this does not affect me as deeply as it does as the LGBTQ community and communities of color. This was a crime of hate against communities that already experience violence and oppression daily, and as someone who holds power and privilege in regards to sexual orientation and gender this has rocked me, but not in the same way that it has rocked others.

I have spent time intentionally doing more self-care these past few days. This included an energy session with an intuitive and gifted healer, Megan Carroll, getting my hair cut, cancelling a date for a nap, legs up the wall between sessions and giving myself permission to do a bit less.

For those in the area needing someone to talk to, some therapists in the Seattle area are offering pro bono services:

Stacey Nagle is offering pro bono services to those in the LGBTQ community who are affected by the Orlando shooting who cannot afford therapy: www.staceynagle.com

Paulette de Coriolis is offering Pro Bono therapy for members of the LGBTQIA community who need help dealing with the mass shooting in Orlando, but who cannot afford therapy. She is particularly reaching out to trans people of color and trans Muslims. Her office is in Redmond: paulettecounseling.com

Ann Lazaroff is offering Pro Bono therapy for members of the LGBTQ community who need help dealing with the mass shooting in Orlando, but who cannot afford therapy. She is particularly reaching out to LGBTQ people of color, and LGBTQ Muslims. annlazarofftherapy.com

How are you taking care of yourself as you digest this? How are you holding space for the loved ones who are digesting this? We can support each other by sharing, connecting and bringing our lovingkindness and resilience skills to the forefront. We practice in easy times for the inevitable hard ones.

May all beings be safe. May all beings be happy. May all beings be healthy. May all beings be at peace.